Philbeach, S end section with round chimney

Cadw's description

Location

Situated just S of the road from Marloes to Dale, approximately 1km SE of the Church of Saint Peter in Marloes.

History

One of the few surviving massive round chimneys of Pembrokeshire, possibly C17. Philbeach is recorded from the C13. Sir William Ffilbech owned in the C14, in the C15 it passed to the Barrett family and in the C16 to the Voyles, owners to the late C17. It was then sold to the Wogan family of Boulston owners to c1790, and in 1802 was owned by Major Robert Acland. The Tithe Map of 1845 shows a holding 206 acres (83.5 hectares) owned by Robert Innes Ackland and occupied by William Cole. Fenton in 1811 says that 'in this old house till very lately remained the old baronial hall, with a long oak table placed across the floor at the upper end, raised as in college halls, on a dais or steep'. The listing includes only the roofless single room section at the S end with the big chimney. There is an old photograph in the Pembrokeshire RCAM inventory of 1925 showing the building still roofed.

Exterior

Roofless single chamber with roughcast rubble stone walls and massive W end external chimney. Chimney has broad base including grouted slate lateral outshut against adjoing wall to left and then is battered in to large rounded battered shaft with stone ring under rounded cap. Lean-to on S gable wall with ledged door in end wall to right of chimney. Original roof ran N-S parallel to chimney. l2-pane window on E wall.

Interior

Chimney has inserted pine lintel and rubble and brick infill above. Curved headed door in left of N wall.

Reason for designation

Included as one of the last of the massive round chimneys of the region, others being the ruined chimney at Croftufty, Solva; Garn, Llanychaer; St Florence and those at Rhosson and Hendre Eynon, St Davids.